Regulator for grain-scales



(No Model.) 0. OOOLEY. REGULATOR FOR GRAIN SCALES.

No. 410,138. PatenteiAug. 27 1889.

"UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE."

CHARLES H. COOLEY, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

REGULATOR FOR GRAIN-SCALES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,138, dated August 27, 1889.

Application filed January 17, 1889- Serial. No. 296,678- (No model.)

To aZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. COOLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Regulators .t'or Grain-Scales, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to regulators for automatically controlling the operation of automatic grain-weighing machines, and more especially when these are operated in con-, nection with some grain-working machine' as, for instance, a roller-mill-the' object being to regulate the supply of grain to a grain receiving machine of a givencapacity by re.- tarding as required the operation of a grain scale or meter of relatively larger capacity arranged to deliver grain to said receivingmachine.

To this end the invention consists in the improvements hereinafter more fully setforth.

In thedrawings accompanying and forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a regulator apparatus em-. bodying my improvements. Fig.2 is a similar View of the principal parts of the apparatus shown in the preceding figure and illus- H trates the mode of operation of said apparatus.

Similar characters designate like parts in both the figures.

My improved regulator apparatus is adapted to be used in connection with automatic grain-scales generally and especially in connection With the improved grain-scale or grain-meter which is described in my prior application, Serial-No. 262,850, filed February 3, 1888; and in this present application such details and parts as a are common to both of said applications are generally designated by the same characters. Accordingly the following parts are or may be the same parts as are similarly designated in the said prior applicationto wit, the grainscale frame 4, the double-chambered grainbucket G, the supply hopper or chute H, valve-shaft 72, arm or arms 96, .carrying the regulator-valve 95, the vertically-movable re ulator-hopper P, (excepting the connections supporting the same,) theconnection 56, pivoted at 99 .to the valve-arm 100 and actuating said valve 95. The necessary and usual means for carrying and operating the grainbucket are not shown in this application.

Underneath the bucket and for receiving the grain discharged therefrom I arrangea vertically-movable inclined conduit C, having a hopper P of suitable form and arrangement to guide into said pipe or conductor C ally supported at 9], and has on the rear end l thereof a regulator-weight 92 of sufficient Weight to raise said conduit, together with a small quantity of grain therein. When the conduit C, being heavily loaded, descends by the weight of the grain therein, as shown in Fig, 2, it acts through the connecting-rod56.

to close'a regulator-valve 95 under the hopper or chute H, and thus stop the flow of grain to and consequently the operation of the grain-scale. The valve 95 remains closed until the gradual discharge of the grain from the pipe C into the grain-receiving machine or chamber M permits the counter-balance to lift the said pipe and again open the regulator-valve. The regulator-valve 95 is suspended by arms 96 from the cut-ofi-valve shaft 72, (as

-in my aforesaid application) or from some point adjacent thereto. The regulator-valve may be operatively connected by any Wellknown means with the lever L, provided such connection is so made that the downward movement of pipe C throws said valve forward, and vice versa.

The operation of this regulator apparatus will be readily understood from the drawings and preceding description.

When the grain passes freely through conduit C, the hopper P rises and the connections draw back the valve 95, as in Fig. 1; but when the grain accumulates sulficiently in said pipe by its weight it carries down the said pipe, as in Fig. 2, thereby movingforward valve 95 under the spout H, as shown in said figure. This apparatus is not in the nature of a stop-motion, but operates to retard or temporarily to stop the operation of the machine and afterward to start the same again as the grain passes out of the counterbalanced conduit.

In this improved regulator the inclined conduit serves two distinct purposes: first, as an ordinary conductor leading to the grainreceiver, and second, as a regulator-hopper, in which the weight of the grain is largely sustained on a fixed point, Wherebyaportion only of that weight is effective to operate the regulator-valve, and whereby the weight of the grain becomes more effective for said purpose in proportion as it lies near the upper end of said pipe. Thus there is a difference of efficiency of the same mass of grain,'ac-

cording to its position in the movable hopthese means a grain-scale of a given size may be successfully operated under conditions which otherwise would render the same impracticable. In practice, owing to the friction and inertia of. the several parts, and especially the resistance of the grain on the regulator-valve, a much larger quantity of grain is required to be in the pipe 0 to close said valve than is required to retain the Valve closed after the closing of the same has been accomplished. This feature and the variation in efficiency of the grain due to its varying position as it moves down in said culiarly adapted for use in connection with the machine.

It should be understood that the valve 95 may operate in combination with the cut-off valve or valves, as described in my aforesaid application, or it may be placed higher up and enter the spout I-I through a slot in the rear wall thereof, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 8 of said application.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- 1. In apparatus for regulating the discharge of grain, the combination of the fixed chute, the inclined conductor supported at its lower end and counterbalanced, substantially as described, and the regulator-valve, said conductor being operatively connected with said valve to close the same on the downward movement of the conductor, all substantially as described.

2. In a regulator for grain-scales, the combination, with the inclined receiving-pipe O, sustained in part by a fixed pivot at its lower end and supported at its upper end by a counter-balance, normally upholding said pipe when the same is empty or nearly empty of grain, of the regulatonvalve above said conduit, and connections, substantially as. described, actuating said valve to close the same on the downward movement of said pipe, substantially as described.

3. In a regulator for grain-scales, the combination, with the chute and the regulatorvalve, of the pipe C, pivotally supported at its lower end, weighted leverL, links 87, and

- rod 56, substantially as shown and described. pipe render my present improvements pe- CHARLES H. COOLEY.

Witnesses:

Gno. A. REYNOLDS, WILBUR L. BARNARD. 

